Friday, October 19, 2018

Election Thoughts, Approaching Two Weeks Until Mid-Term Election

By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

The time is near.  Many of the absentee ballots have already been cast.  Voters who go to the polls are trying to put together their list on how they are going to vote.  And, in California, we truly believe that this could be a life or death situation for a State that has been broiling in leftist policies for many decades.

Nationally, the Kavanaugh Effect has energized Republican voters.  The general craziness of the Democrats, with their calls for impeachment of a President who has been very successful in his first two years, calls for impeachment of a new Supreme Court Justice before he even had a chance to sit upon the bench, and their silent consent of the violence being perpetrated by groups like Antifa has been enough to not only energize a number of GOP voters, but it has been the fuel behind a mass exodus away from the Democrat Party through movements like #walkaway.

When I am confronted by a Democrat about President Trump I simply ask them, "What about the booming economy and the fact that dictators are backing off their rhetoric and are coming to the negotiating table pisses you off?"

Usually they say something like, "Obama reduced the unemployment rate more than Trump, and now the Republicans are claiming success when all they are doing is enjoying the boom that Obama began."

Really?

Historically, after a reduction in taxes, and a reduction in government regulations, a boom has followed, be it with Ronald Reagan, or Calvin Coolidge.  It's always a winning formula.  Obama, and his cronies who try to give credit to the former president for the booming economy, sound like the guy who, after trying to open a jar unsuccessfully, and then gives it to someone else who then opens it with ease, says, "I loosened it for you."

I saw an ad on television last night targeting Young Kim, a Republican running for Congress in North Orange County who used to be in the California Assembly.  The leftist ad claimed she wants to follow the Trump path of "cutting medicare to pay for Trump's tax cuts."

The tax cuts were not a loss of revenue.  They encouraged growth, and this year the tax revenues are breaking records.  Everything always seems finite and static with the Democrats.  They don't understand economics so they don't understand the complexities that go along with economics.  Therefore, all they see is the tax cuts, but they can't recognize the dynamic economic activity surrounding them.

Taxes are a big issue here in California.  The Democrats are always trying to figure out how to tax us more, while also working to control our behavior.  We have taxes on grocery bags, a proposed service tax, water tax, proposals for mileage taxes, and the highest gas tax in the country.

Repealing the Gas Tax is a huge item on the ballot.  Proposition 6 would, if approved by voters, establish a State constitutional amendment not only repealing the ridiculous gas tax and astronomical registration fees (reducing the tax and fees back down to previous levels), but because it would be a constitutional amendment, it would protect us from the Democrats simply legislating it back into existence.  Proposition 6 is doing really well, from what I hear.  I volunteer at the Republican Headquarters in Temecula three days per week, and to be honest, the number one request I get is people wanting "Yes on 6" signs.

Hiking up our taxes is also something the cities are playing with.  Largely because of a looming pension crisis, cities are scrambling to figure out how to squeeze more money out of our pockets.  Even cities with "Republican City Council Members" are calling for an increase in taxes.

In my area, over the last few years, cities have been increasing their sales tax by one percent.  Temecula, Menifee and Hemet have all chased the tax increase pot at the end of the rainbow.  Meanwhile, sales tax revenues in Murrieta have skyrocketed ... largely because people have been coming to Murrieta to shop to avoid the higher sales taxes in the other cities.  The Murrieta leadership has completely turned a blind eye to that possibility, and instead have been beating their chests claiming that sales tax revenue is up because of their incredible talent of bringing certain new businesses into the area.

Former councilmember Harry Ramos was the only one railing against the idea of a higher tax when he was in office, and suggested that instead of raising the sales tax, the city ought to spend some money to put up billboards that read, "Shop Murrieta where the sale tax is lower."

Now, the city is pushing Measure T, a hike in the local sales tax.  They are pulling out all the stops with signs and endorsements for the tax hike.

Wait, does the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) established rules allow for a city to use tax dollars to promote a ballot measure?

I'm on the ballot for school board, Trustee District 2 in the Murrieta Valley School District.  After a hospitalization, and a computer crash, I have had no time or energy to conduct any fundraisers, get signs, print flyers, or get out there and knock on doors.  It's just been one of those horrific things.  I'll probably get a decent share of votes because many people know who I am, and those folks know I am not a political club kind of candidate like my opponent who, I believe is in it to be a part of the popular political crowd.  Honestly, I am frustrated because I've been watching this school board dance and sing for the staff, without really thinking for themselves, and between the bonds, common core, and a whole slew of incredibly ridiculous rules and expenditures, I would like to get on the board to help change the whole "enslavement to the staff" mindset.  Whether or not I have a chance in this election, it's hard to say.  It's for the final two years of a four-year term after a board member passed away.  My opponent was appointed, and she's buddies with a crowd of smug arrogant leftists who claim to be Republicans.  It's enough to make me puke, but my setbacks may have knocked me out of the race.

One advantage I have is that my designation states I am a Constitutional Instructor, and I have a feeling that might work in my favor.  We'll see.

On the statewide front the battle between Gruesome Newsom and his Republican opponent, John Cox, has been interesting.  Former San Francisco Mayor, and hardcore leftist, Gavin Newsom thinks he's got it in the bag.  It's the Hillary Clinton syndrome all over again.  The Democrats believe their guy is a shoe-in, and John Cox has no chance.  The polls say so ... you know, like the polls said so about Hillary and Trump.

Most polls I see have Newsom up by about 17 points.  In a hard left State like California, the Democrats should consider that to be too close for comfort, especially when you realize they manipulate the polls so the true number is probably a lot less, and likely closer to a difference of 5 points, or so.  I'm not necessarily saying John Cox is going to win this thing hands down.  I am not as confident in Cox's chances as I was with Trump's.  But, we are a State in turmoil, and everyone knows the Democrats have had control for half a century.  Perhaps, especially in the age of Trump, the voters will realize it's time for a change in a direction towards common sense and away from the Democrat Party's high taxes and authoritarian style of governance.

I will say this.  The key is the legislature.  Regardless of who wins the gubernatorial race, we must make sure the Democrats do not get another super-majority rule over the State.  A super-majority in the California legislature would pretty much neutralize anything and everything John Cox would do as governor.  They could override every veto, and kill any suggestion he may recommend.  If Gavin Newsom wins, and there's a super-majority, the exodus from California would be staggering (even more so than it is now).  House prices would plummet, and the State would become a mega-rich or mega-poor land of sour milk and dried up honey.  The California bear would keel over.  We would have to change the nickname of California from the Golden State to the Smoldering State.

As I wrote earlier, for many Californians, they see this election as a live or die situation.

Personally, I think we will see gains in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives for the Republicans.  I think John Cox will make it a close race, but Newsom will edge him out.  That said, I also believe the Democrats will not only fail to achieve another super-majority, but they will lose seats in both houses.  Mark Meuser will win Secretary of State, and that will set up the next couple of elections in California to be big wins for the Republicans because as Secretary of State, Meuser will not only clean up the voter rolls, but reduce the fraud to a level that will change elections in California forever.

Oh, and Proposition 6 will win easily.

Then, as we see the prosperity continue to grow, and the economy continue to boom, Donald J. Trump will win in 2020 by a landslide, and he'll even carry the Golden State and possibly Oregon and Washington.

Washington D.C., Hawaii, New York, and a couple other northeastern States will go to his opponent.

Pence will win easily in 2024.

That's if the violence being instigated by the Democrats doesn't create some kind of nation-altering consequence in the meantime.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

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